RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10, Episode 3 Recap: Tap That App

Remember Feud: Miz Cracker VS. Aquaria? She’s gone, and she’s been replaced by Aquaria VS. The Vixen. After Kalorie’s sickeningly sweet message was wiped from the mirror, the drama quickly started to unfold as the queens re-hashed the events of last week. Aquaria mentioned that The Vixen used a borrowed wig from one of the other queens for her best drag look. This would later manifest into an episode long fight between the two, that I’m sure we will be seeing more of this season. Following her time in the bottom two last week, Eureka vowed that she wouldn’t let her fears keep her from fully competing, and she didn’t hold anything back this week, making for a refreshing side to Eureka that fans haven’t seen since season nine.

Episode three’s mini challenge was an improv casting call that got the girls in quick drag, and in front of a camera following Ru’s cues to sell a RuPaul Chocolate Bar. Three queens (Blair St. Clair, Monique Heart, and Monét X Change) gave memorable performances, and were awarded with being team leaders for the maxi challenge.

This week’s maxi challenge featured everybody’s least-favourite necessary evil: dating apps! The teams were given unique concepts for new dating apps to make campy commercials for in front of a green screen. It was clear from the start that Team Blair (Blair, Eureka, Miz Cracker, and The Vixen) worked the best together, bouncing both comedy, and camp ideas off each other to ultimately make a well prepared, and fun finished product. While Team Monique couldn’t get a clear idea together through their planning session, Team Monét seemed to be on the same page minus member Yuhua Hamasaki, who insisted on doing a pretty girl beat for her team’s Buttrface dating app commercial.

Judges Carson Kressley, and Michelle Visage directed the challenge, and were impressed with the full plan, and attitude that Team Blair brought to set. It became clear that Carson and Michelle were looking for accountability, and how easy the queens were to direct. Team Blair delivered a campy, and over the top doomsday themed commercial complete with slapping, a sandwich board, and Eureka and Miz Cracker making out. Team Monét, and Team Monique were met with a number of issues during their filming time including flat delivery, and confusing gags.

On the main stage, the girls soared down the runway in their best feather moments. Later the queens were surprised to find out that their performances would be judged individually, and not as part of a group as we are so familiar with seeing on Drag Race. The top three queens of the week included Blair St. Clair, Asia O’Hara, and Eureka, who really gave the competition her all, and impressed all the judges, including guests actor Nico Tortorella, and 90s grunge icon Adore Delano Courtney Love.

Despite being in a bottom group, Asia O’Hara’s performance stole the show in her commercial, and on the runway with a stunning Tweety Bird moment. Lip-synching for their lives this week were Mayhem Miller, and Yuhua Hamasaki. Mayhem landed in the bottom because she didn’t fight for herself when she wasn’t given a substantial role in her group’s commercial. Meanwhile, Yuhua’s demise could be tracked through the whole episode starting from when she didn’t work with her team to create a full character for her part in the commercial.

This week’s lip sync song choice was Hole’s “Celebrity Skin,” and Yuhua really went for it with an air guitar performance, but unfortunately it couldn’t compete with Mayhem’s passionate lip sync where she destroyed her feather gown for another chance for the crown she has worked so hard to fight for. Yuhua Hamasaki sashayed away becoming the third queen to leave the competition.

Takeaway from episode three:
– The Vixen can, and probably will, have a feud with each queen this season.